Anaya Nolan
Piracy is an international crime, which means it's a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world. However, the laws and punishments for piracy vary between countries. In the US, for example, piracy is a federal crime that can carry an automatic sentence of life imprisonment. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines piracy as any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft...on the high seas against another ship or aircraft... [and] any act of voluntary participation [in a pirate ship]. Piracy can also refer to digital piracy, which is also a crime. The United States No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act), passed in 1997, provides for the criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Piracy is an international crime | It is a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world |
| Piracy is a federal crime in the US | The US government has enacted specific laws about crimes of piracy and how these crimes are punished |
| Piracy is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as | "Any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft...on the high seas against another ship or aircraft... [and] any act of voluntary participation [in a pirate ship]" |
| Piracy is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in plain English as | Any act of murder, robbery, criminal violence, or hostage-taking on the “high seas”—that is, in (or over) international or territorial waters rather than within specific national boundaries |
| Piracy is a crime under US law | 18 U.S. Code § 1651 says, “whoever, on the high seas, commits the crime of piracy defined by the law of nations, and is brought into or found in the United States, shall be imprisoned for life |
| Piracy is a crime under US law | 18 U.S. Code § 1658 says, “whoever plunders, steals, or destroys any money, goods, merchandise, or other effects belonging to any vessel in distress, or wrecked, lost, stranded, or cast away, upon the sea, or upon any reef, shoal, bank, or rocks of the |
| Digital piracy is a crime under US law | The United States No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act), which was passed in 1997, provides for criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement under certain circumstances, even when there is no monetary profit or commercial benefit from the infringement |
| Digital piracy is a crime under US law | Making unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings is against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability |
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What You'll Learn
Piracy is an international crime
In the US, piracy is a federal crime and is codified in Title 18 U.S. Code Chapter 81. The US government has enacted specific laws about crimes of piracy and how these crimes are punished. Many acts of piracy carry an automatic sentence of life imprisonment.
Digital piracy is also a crime. The United States No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act*)*, passed in 1997, provides for the criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement under certain circumstances, even when there is no monetary profit or commercial benefit from the infringement. Making unauthorised copies of copyrighted music recordings is against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability.
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Piracy is a federal offence in the US
US Code § 1651 says, “whoever, on the high seas, commits the crime of piracy defined by the law of nations, and is brought into or found in the United States, shall be imprisoned for life.” US Code § 1658 says, “whoever plunders, steals, or destroys any money, goods, merchandise, or other effects belonging to any vessel in distress, or wrecked, lost, stranded, or cast away, upon the sea, or upon any reef, shoal, bank, or rocks of the [...]”.
Piracy is also a federal offence in the US when it comes to digital piracy. The United States No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act), passed in 1997, provides for criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement under certain circumstances, even when there is no monetary profit or commercial benefit from the infringement. Making unauthorised copies of copyrighted music recordings is against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability. A civil lawsuit could hold you responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Criminal charges may leave you with a felony record, accompanied by up to five years of jail time and fines up to $250,000.
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Piracy can result in life imprisonment
Piracy is an international crime, and it is a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world. However, the US government has specific laws about crimes of piracy and how they are punished. These laws are codified in Title 18 U.S. Code Chapter 81. Piracy is considered among the most serious of crimes, and many acts of piracy carry an automatic sentence of life imprisonment. For example, 18 U.S. Code § 1651 says, "whoever, on the high seas, commits the crime of piracy defined by the law of nations, and is brought into or found in the United States, shall be imprisoned for life".
Piracy and privateering could result in federal criminal charges with severe penalties. These types of federal offences are often complicated because both United States and international laws could be filed based on the case's specific details. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has crafted an international definition of piracy as "any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft... on the high seas against another ship or aircraft... [and] any act of voluntary participation [in a pirate ship]".
In addition, the United States No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act), which was passed in 1997, provides for the criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement under certain circumstances, even when there is no monetary profit or commercial benefit from the infringement. Making unauthorised copies of copyrighted music recordings is against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability. A civil lawsuit could hold you responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Criminal charges may leave you with a felony record, accompanied by up to five years of jail time and fines up to $250,000.
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Piracy includes acts of murder, robbery, criminal violence, or hostage-taking
Piracy is an international crime, which means it is a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS*)* defines piracy as "any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft... on the high seas against another ship or aircraft... [and] any act of voluntary participation [in a pirate ship]".
In the United States, the No Electronic Theft Act (NET Act*)* provides for the criminal prosecution of individuals who engage in copyright infringement under certain circumstances, even when there is no monetary profit or commercial benefit from the infringement. Making unauthorised copies of copyrighted music recordings is also against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability.
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Piracy can result in a felony record
Piracy is an international crime, but the US government has enacted specific laws about crimes of piracy and how these crimes are punished. These laws are codified in Title 18 U.S. Code Chapter 81. Piracy is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as "any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft...on the high seas against another ship or aircraft... [and] any act of voluntary participation [in a pirate ship]". In plain English, the international crime of piracy involves any act of murder, robbery, criminal violence, or hostage-taking on the “high seas”—that is, in (or over) international or territorial waters rather than within specific national boundaries.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, piracy is an international crime, meaning it is a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world.
Piracy carries severe penalties, including federal criminal charges. In the US, many acts of piracy carry an automatic sentence of life imprisonment.
Piracy involves any act of murder, robbery, criminal violence, or hostage-taking on the “high seas”—that is, in (or over) international or territorial waters rather than within specific national boundaries.
